Sep 28, 2023 - Sale 2646

Sale 2646 - Lot 230

Price Realized: $ 1,062
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 1,500 - $ 2,500
(PENNSYLVANIA.) Papers of seven generations of the Franklin-Wistar-Pennock-Miller family. More than 300 items (1 linear foot) in one box; various sizes, condition varies with some early items worn, but little or no dampstaining. Various places, 1702 and 1765-1948
Set Alert for Similar Items

Additional Details

This collection includes family correspondence spanning three centuries and seven generations of a distinguished Pennsylvania family, in addition to deeds, estate papers, genealogical research and more.

The earliest letters in the collection are two from Dr. Caspar Wistar II (1740-1811) to his widowed mother Catherine Johnson Wistar (1703-1786), dated 1765 and 1766. These are followed by 14 letters to his children dated 1794-1801 and undated, many dated from Pennsbury, PA.

5 letters are from Mary Pearsall Franklin (1703-1786) of New York to her daughter Mary "Polly" Wistar (wife of Caspar Wistar II), 1774-1786. The letters are written in Quaker style, and the family appears affluent: "Oh, how dose your Irish girl sute thee?" One undated letter discusses Quaker leader Joseph Potts (1742-1804) of Pottsville, PA: "Our friend Joseph Pots from Philadelphia or near there apointed a meeting here 2 day the 23 of May. He and his companiun dined with us after meeting. I think him a clever pleasent man and a good preacher."

Three letters relate to epidemics of the dreaded yellow fever in Philadelphia. On 2 September 1799, a friend named William Simonton wrote: "Our der and affectnet John departed this life on seventh day night. . . . As soon as it pleases the Lord to stay his hand and say to the destroying angel, 'It is anuf,' that there will be a great del of busness to settle here. . . . If poor afflicted Philadelphia would aply to the Lord in sincerety . . . and not to physicians it might be much better." Dr. Caspar Wister II wrote to his adult children on 15 July 1802: "The yellow fever has broke out. . . . I will any time send the waggon for you, if you will let me know. I wish you to have your things in readiness . . . for coming at an hour's warning. I earnestly request you would not stay till the danger is great." He also wrote in an undated letter, "Friday 11 a.m.": "Lewis was taken ill about 7 days ago. Mrs. Jacobs last Monday, & George the day after. Lew[is was] attacked with great violence, & is still very ill indeed. . . . It is impossible, my dear Catharine, to leave the town at this moment. . . . I hope thee will not come to town."

11 letters are from Dr. Caspar Wistar Pennock (1799-1867) to his mother Sarah Wistar Pennock (1770-1845, daughter of Caspar Wistar II), 1808-1840. A greater number are addressed to him from 1815 onward. The correspondence also includes letters to his daughter Sarah Pennock Miller (1840-1909) and her husband William Henry Miller (1837-1925); their son Caspar Wistar Miller (1868-1940) and his wife Virginia Weaver Miller (1868-1951); and their daughter Virginia P. Miller (1902-1975) and her husband Robert Hare Davis (1877-1969).

A file is devoted to young cousin Dr. Caspar P. Lukens (1830-1862), whose parents and siblings predeceased him. Included is an 1859 petition to have him committed as a lunatic, and correspondence and documents relating to his estate three years later.

A letter from the famed early anti-slavery activist Anthony Benezet is addressed to George Miller, grandfather of William H. Miller. It is crudely conserved and split into 4 fragments. In part: "I am obliged for thy kind remarks on my last publication ["A Letter from Elizabeth Webb to Anthony William Boehm, with His Answer," Philadelphia, 1783] . . . I mett with strong opposition in indeavoring to obtain liberty to print it, but it was not easy to give it up, apprehending the dearness & tender spirit it breathed would be of special service amongst the youth."

The earliest document in the collection is a 1702 deed to Jacob Coffing of Philadelphia (relationship unknown); other deeds are dated from 1802 onwards. Among the other legal documents are 5 marriage certificates, 1789-1863, some in the Quaker style. The lot also includes genealogical research from circa 1900, a small number of photographs and printed ephemera, and several examples of early verse.